1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an article capturing game machine. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improvement in game machines for a play in capturing an article such as a prize using, for example, a pair of arms that opens and closes.
2. Description of Related Art
Game machines such as crane game machines aiming to capture a prize (e.g., a stuffed toy) or an article exchangeable for the prize stored in a case (hereinafter called article capturing game machines) are interesting to manipulate, and because popular characters are used as prizes, motivation of players to challenge the game increases. Therefore, many article capturing game machines are installed in general stores, shopping malls, etc., as well as game arcades. Conventionally, various types of article capturing game machines have been proposed and commercialized.
As the above-mentioned article capturing game machines, machines with a pair of opening/closing arms having claws and provided in a UFO-shaped device, for example (hereinafter called a prize capturing section or an article capturing section), are often employed. In this case, the article capturing section first moves horizontally inside the case in response to players manipulation, and causes the arms to open and close directly below the position. Then, it further moves to a position directly above an article dispensing hole, and causes the arms to open and close again. During such a sequence of actions, if an article can be grasped and lifted in the claws at the tips of the arms, for example, and carried to a position directly above the article dispensing hole without being dropped down, the player can get the article.
In the case of such an article capturing game machine, the article capturing section is on standby at an initial position (home position) such as a position directly above the article dispensing hole consisting of an article chute guide and the like at any time except during a game. After the start of the game, when the article capturing section moves horizontally inside the case, the article capturing section often moves while keeping the same height as the initial position. The article capturing section that has moved horizontally to the position intended by the player comes downward at the position, and after completion of opening and closing actions nearby a target article, it goes up. Then, when moving up to the position directly above the article chute guide, it performs the opening and closing actions again, and after that, it returns to the initial position as the home position (for example, see Patent Document 1).
In the meantime, in the above-mentioned article capturing game machines, since the level of difficulty in playing the game varies depending on the layout of articles, such as inclination, quantity, stacking pattern, etc., the user side (e.g., service providing side such as a game arcade or a store) often tries various layouts. In view of how to attract the attention and interest of customers (players), diversified display patterns have emerged, such as to pile up many articles and to arrange an article beside an article drop hole.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-255172